Identifying the good in a season gone wrong

1of9Richard Sherman #25 of the San Francisco 49ers walks off the field after being ejected for fighting during their NFL game against the Chicago Bears at Levi's Stadium on December 23, 2018 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)Photo: Ezra Shaw / Getty Images

2of9San Francisco 49ers defensive back Richard Sherman (25) runs with the ball against the Chicago Bears during the second half of an NFL football game in Santa Clara, Calif., Sunday, Dec. 23, 2018. The play was called back and the Bears retained possession. (AP Photo/D. Ross Cameron)Photo: D. Ross Cameron / Associated Press

3of9The 49ers’ Nick Mullens, throwing a pass as the bears passes as Chicago Bears' Akiem Hicks rushes in 2nd quarter during NFL game at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif. on Sunday, December 23, 2018.Photo: Scott Strazzante / The Chronicle

4of9The 49ers' Nick Mullens heaves a pass on 4th down play late in 4th quarter of Chicago Bears' 14-9 win in NFL game at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif. on Sunday, December 23, 2018.Photo: Scott Strazzante / The Chronicle

6of9San Francisco 49ers' Nick Mullens looks to the scoreboard after failing to complete a 4th down pass late in 4th quarter of Chicago Bears' 14-9 win in NFL game at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif. on Sunday, December 23, 2018.Photo: Scott Strazzante / The Chronicle

8of9San Francisco 49ers' Nick Mullens reacts to scrambling to clock the ball in final seconds of 1st half against Chicago Bears during NFL game at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif. on Sunday, December 23, 2018.Photo: Scott Strazzante / The Chronicle

9of9San Francisco 49ers' Nick Mullens rolls out on failed 4th down throw late in 4th quarter of Chicago Bears' 14-9 win in NFL game at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif. on Sunday, December 23, 2018.Photo: Scott Strazzante / The Chronicle

For a team all dressed up with no place to go, end-of-season games are a metaphor for life — a search for meaning.

The 49ers beat the dreaded Seahawks on Dec. 16 and gamely fought the dastardly Bears on Sunday before losing 14-9.

Does that mean anything? Will there be emotional or spiritual carryover? Or are garbage-game (for the 49ers) performances just a mirage, like last season’s 5-0 finish that carried over about as well as that tuna sandwich you left in the fridge for a month?

Here’s a vote for some meaning.

In going toe-to-toe with a team fighting for a first-round bye in the playoffs, the 49ers showed that there is some there here, and that there are two players on whom they can rely heavily next season: Nick Mullens and Richard Sherman.

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Sherman isn’t the devastating playmaker he once was, but he brings enough skill, and plenty of heart. He is the 49ers’ Draymond Green.

Sherman waded into the middle of an angry scrum of Bears in the fourth quarter, when the Bears were menacing Sherman’s teammate, safety Marcell Harris, after he made a late — but not vicious or dirty — hit on sliding quarterback Mitchell Trubisky.

Sherman threw a few open-hand punches or slaps, giving the Levi’s Stadium message-board crew a chance to flash their “Happy Holidays” message, just as they saluted a fourth-quarter Mullens interception by displaying festive Christmas lights on the ribbon board around the stadium. That brought back memories of the Titanic band playing “Stairway to Heaven” as the ship went down.

Sherman is leader, mentor, big brother, spokesman, field general. He is also signed for two more years.

Also making a statement for the future: Mullens, even though he wound up as a goat.

Mullens had the 49ers driving late in the game when he threw a short pass too high and hot for George Kittle, then threw a long incompletion on fourth down when he had acres of running room for what would have been a first down at about the Bears’ 35.

Mullens’ one interception bounced off the hands of Marquise Goodwin, who could have extended his arms another few inches.

A comeback win would have been great for the 49ers and Mullens, but for many fans, the loss was win-win: The 49ers showed pluck and potential while not dropping down the draft ladder.

Mullens out-danced the NFL’s baddest pass rush all day, taking only one sack (the Bears’ defense averages 3.2 sacks) and showing great poise. The Bears intimidated Jared Goff two weeks ago and took down Aaron Rodgers last week, so going by that, Mullens is a future superstar.

Let’s not get carried away, but this was Mullens’ toughest test by far and he passed with semi-flying colors. After seven starts, there is no way (other than a trade) that he is not the backup QB next season.

Here’s what tackle Joe Staley told me about Mullens: “Every single week, you see him getting more comfortable in what we’re doing, and he gets that ball out so quick, super friendly for us up front, and he makes decisions super quick.”

What does that mean, super friendly?

“He gets rid of the ball so quick,” Staley said. “There were a couple of times where I’m just getting my hands on the guy and the ball’s already out. It’s like (Staley snaps his fingers, click-click). I think it’s because of his understanding of the offense and where we want to go, he makes super-quick decisions back there.”

Quicker than current backup C.J. Beathard, for sure, and maybe even quicker than Jimmy Garoppolo.

Even Mullens’ bonehead decision to pass instead of run on the fateful play was a great learning moment for him and kind of impressed head coach Kyle Shanahan, who called the pass intended for Goodwin at the goal line “aggressive.”

“You make a lot of plays being aggressive, sometimes that doesn’t always work,” Shanahan said. “It looked like he took an aggressive play. He made a number of aggressive plays in that game, and some worked out and some didn’t.”

Shanahan said, “He played a hell of a game.”

Mullens’ emergence has been startling. He has become the leader of the Unknown Backfield.

Mullens was undrafted and anonymous until two months ago. Starting running back Matt Breida was undrafted, and was knocked out of action early Sunday, giving way to undrafted Jeff Wilson Jr. Starting wideout Dante Pettis also left the game with an injury, as did backup tight end Garrett Celek. Mullens was working with, and is, the NFL equivalent of chopped liver.

The Bears were within one or two plays of having to go home and explain they won’t get a first-round bye because, “You can’t stop Nick Mullens and Matt Breida and Kendrick Bourne, you can only hope to contain them.”

Scott Ostler has been a sports columnist at the San Francisco Chronicle since 1991. He has covered five Olympics for The Chronicle, as well as one soccer World Cup and numerous World Series, Super Bowls and NBA Finals.

Though he started in sports and is there now, Scott took a couple of side trips into the real world for The Chronicle. For three years he wrote a daily around-town column, and for one year, while still in sports, he wrote a weekly humorous commentary column.

He has authored several books and written for many national publications. Scott has been voted California Sportswriter of the Year 13 times, including six times while at The Chronicle. He moved to the Bay Area from Southern California, where he worked for the Los Angeles Times, the National Sports Daily and the Long Beach Press-Telegram.